An automated teller machine (ATM) is an electronic device that allows banking customers to carry out financial transactions without the need for a human teller. For example, customers may use an ATM to access their bank accounts, deposit, withdraw, or transfer funds, check account balances, or dispense items of value. Generally, to use an ATM, the customer may insert a banking card containing magnetic strip information into the ATM's card reader, and authenticate the card by entering a personal identification number (PIN). After the card has been read and authenticated, the customer can carry out various transactions related to their account. Since the widespread adoption of ATMs, customer use of bank branches has declined. However, customers may still conduct similar activities (and often additional activities) at a bank branch with the assistance of a bank teller.
The most common activities that customers conduct at ATMs and bank branches are withdrawing funds from a financial account and checking an account balance. Before withdrawing funds, a customer might check his account balance to ensure that the intended withdrawal does not overdraw the account.
Currently, to obtain balance information, a customer using an ATM must use the check balance function of the ATM, wait for the ATM to transmit the request, and receive the desired information. Similarly, a customer at a bank branch must ask the teller to look up the customer's account balance and wait for the teller to request and relay the desired information. Furthermore, there are often substantial waiting lines at both ATMs and bank branches. Moreover, the time needed for customers to check their account balances before withdrawing funds increases the length of each transaction and exacerbates the delay.
Mobile devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, etc.) are ubiquitous and these devices equipped with financial provider applications with balance checking functionality offer an alternative way for customers to check their account balances. However, current applications typically require the customer to request his account balance in a process involving unlocking his device, logging into an application, and requesting account information. Furthermore, if there is no line at the ATM or bank teller, or if the customer does not remember to use the application before approaching the ATM or bank teller, it is difficult for the customer to use the check balance functionality while interacting with the ATM or bank teller.
It is therefore desirable to provide systems and processes that more effectively provides the customer's account balance or other account notifications. It is also desirable for institutions to improve computer system performance by decreasing the time it takes to conduct a transaction by automatically providing account information.